Review--Crusade by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie (Book 14 in Reading Challenge)

THE ULTIMATE BATTLE.

THE ULTIMATE LOVE.

For the past two years, Jenn has lived at Spain's Sacred Heart Academy Against the Cursed Ones. She is among the few who have pledged to defend humanity or die trying. But the vampires are gaining power, and the battle has only just begun.

Forced to return home after a death takes a member of her family, Jenn discovers that San Francisco is now a vampire stronghold. As a lone hunter comes with its own dangers, and the more they share of themselves, the more Jenn stands to lose. apart from her team, Jenn is isolated--and at risk. She craves the company of her fighting partner, Antonio: his protection, his reassurance, his touch. But a relationship with Antonio

Then Jenn is betrayed by one who was once bound to protect her, causing her to doubt all she has held as true. To survive, Jenn must find the courage to trust herself--and her heart.

Well I also managed to finish Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie, the duo writing team behind the series Wicked! Which was one from my middle school-high school days that I enjoyed! So I had to give their new one a try and also it included vampires!

But here the vampires are not the good guys. At all. They are truly incarnations of evil, hence their name, The Cursed Ones. Vampires are known to the world at large. They presented themselves to be harmless beings at first, but soon tragedy started striking in different parts of the world, mostly to the team of hunters we come to know, we get their back-stories and we soon learn that vampires are evil. But some people in the world, still believe they are good and all that. They are delusional.

Jenn fled her home to train at the Academy, living in a house where her father was a large vampire supporter despite the vampires causing the deaths of several people, Jenn couldn't take it anymore and she left. Only to return two years later with the death of a family member. 

While away Jenn has trained with a group of hunters and they have become a team of sorts hunting vampires and trying to rid the world of their evil. But when Jenn comes home, it is not to warm greetings. There is still some tension and hostility with her father.

Then an even bigger tragedy strikes when someone close to Jenn betrays her. That's when things get really intense and it all happens fairly early on. Can't recall how early since I took a break with reading Alpha. But soon Jenn and her team have a new mission, one that I don't want to get too detailed in. But they have to rescue someone close to them.

You have to be use to the duo author's style to truly enjoy the book. As I said there is a lot of back story for each of the characters and it was interesting at times, some transitions from present to past to present weren't always as smooth, particularly the returning to the present, but it wasn't too bad.

There is quite a bit of action and mystery elements working here too. Jenn and her team are working against the clock and if they run out of time, the worst will happen to their taken one. So yeah, a lot of tension.

The BOC mentions the love between Antonio and Jenn and you learn fairly quickly the relationship between them. I mean, I knew before I started, but I won't mention here just in case. But still, they had a deep relationship and it wasn't all physical either. Since this is a YA book.

There was quite a bit of chaos towards the end that leaves you with just enough, OMG what is going on, what's going to happen next to leave you hanging. Not a monstrous cliffhanger, like at the end of Wicked: Spellbound--and then I had to wait for years for the conclusion! But still there were a few plot threads that weren't tied off. 

Overall it was very interesting and I am curious to see what happens next. Overall I give the book 4/5 stars!

This was my 14th book in the September Spectacular Reading Challenge!

And another reminder to see details that will lead into my 100 followers contest. For extra points click here for details.